“Okay firstly, as amazingly awesome as you are, you know my best friend in the entire universe lives in New York,” said Kurt, grabbing a sheet from behind him and pulling it over the bed in the window. As much as he usually despised his job, the fact that they had given him creative control over the window displays pleased him. He always made sure that they were eye-catching and gorgeous, and sales on the products displayed in the window were normally double the sales for any other product. “But I’m dying to know – what has my second-best friend in the entire universe organised for me?”

“I have set you up on a blind date,” she said with a grin, handing him the duvet case.

“For a change,” said Kurt rolling his eyes. She did this at least once every three weeks or so and while he appreciated the sentiment, Kurt really couldn’t stand being set up with a complete stranger. Especially the complete strangers Jo picked. They were - to put it politely - completely awful.

“This one’s different though, Kurt!” Jo insisted, helping him throw the heavy duvet over the display bed. “I know I’ve set you up with a string of disasters in the past, but this guy is actually one of my very good friends. He’s been complaining about being single and I told him I had a friend who he could meet. He’s really cute and funny and smart and good with kids and pretty much everything you always go on about. I actually can’t believe that I haven’t thought of it sooner.”

“Jo… I don’t know. After the last one I – “

“Look, just go on this one and if he isn’t everything I made him out to be, I’ll never set you up again. That’s how strongly I feel about this. Either way it’s a win-win,” said Jo, with a sly grin.

“What if I say no to the date?” asked Kurt, throwing pillows and cushions onto the bed.

“I won’t stop pestering you about it until you say yes,” she said, poking him in the arm for emphasis.

“Fine,” said Kurt stepping back to admire his completed display. “But this is the last time, okay?”

“I swear on my Internet connection,” she said, with a grin. “Breadstix at seven tomorrow – is that okay for you?”

“Yeah,” said Kurt, wondering what chronic illness he could acquire before then.

“Great!” squealed Jo, throwing her arms around Kurt’s neck. “You won’t regret it!”

“I’m already regretting it,” said Kurt, as his phone started buzzing in his pocket. He didn’t recognise the number, but answered it anyway.

“Hello, Kurt Hummel speaking?” he said, curious as to who would be phoning him during work hours.

“Hi, Kurt, it’s Mr Anderson, Aimee’s teacher?” said the familiar voice on the other end. Kurt couldn’t help the small shiver that went down his spine before he went into big-brother mode. Blaine was obviously calling for a reason.

“Hi, Blaine,” said Kurt, a worried weight beginning to settle at the pit of his stomach. “Is everything okay?”

“For the most part,” said Blaine. “Aimee had a nightmare during naptime and she’s a little freaked out now. She’s really tearful and I’m worried. I understand that you’re working now, but if there’s any way you could come and collect her, or send someone to collect her, I really think it would help. She needs some love and hugs right now.”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” said Kurt seriously, already pulling off his apron. “Thanks, Blaine.”

“Anytime, Kurt. See you in a moment.”

Kurt ended the call and looked up at Jo.

“Listen, I have to get Aimee – she had a nightmare and her teacher says it’s freaked her a little,” he said, feeling he should have been there two minutes ago already.

“Aw, no, the poor bunny,” said Jo, shaking her head with a sympathetic frown. “Yeah, you go take her home and look after her. I’ll make sure you’re covered with the Don.”

“Thanks, Jo,” said Kurt, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before rushing out of the store to his car. Ten minutes later he ran into the school’s reception office to find a sad-looking Aimee lying against a calmly-waiting Blaine, her arms clutching him tightly around the middle and his arm draped over her shoulders, rubbing comforting circles into her back. It was adorable and heartbreaking at the same time and for reasons he didn’t really want to address right now, he could suddenly imagine what it would be like to come home to that sight every day. That was craziness though. He couldn’t let himself think like that. Not when he had enough to worry about.

“Oh, hey, look who’s here,” said Blaine gently with a smile as he pointed to where Kurt was standing.

“Kurt!” said Aimee, rushing over to where he was and throwing her arms around him. She was sobbing with what he gathered to be relief as Kurt knelt down to properly hug her. “I’m-m s-so h-happy you’re s-s-safe.”

Kurt gave Blaine a questioning look over her shoulder to which the teacher shrugged. So he didn’t know what the nightmare was about. Once Aimee’s tears had subsided slightly, he pulled out of the hug and held Aimee’s shoulders gently.

“What happened, Angel?” he asked, reaching up to wipe away a tear with his thumb. “I heard you had a nightmare. Do you want to tell me what it was about?”

“I dreamed that you were in New York again and then that big scary monkey grabbed you and took you to the top of the Entire State Building,” she said, her bottom lip quivering, “and I was standing on the sidewalk by myself and I was so worried, Kurt.”

“Hey, it’s okay,” said Kurt, pulling her into another tight hug. “I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere. But this is why I told you not to come into my room at night without knocking. Movies like King Kong mess with your head when you’re little.”

“I’m six and a half,” Aimee glared defensively. Kurt couldn’t help but grin.

“Yes, you are,” he said. “Listen, Aims, you play with your Dora doll – I just need to talk to Mr Anderson quickly, alright?”

“Okay,” she said, still sounding miserable as she walked back towards where she had just been sitting. Once he was sure that she was playing, Kurt turned to Blaine.

“Look, please know that this isn’t normally me, but I think I might have to take you up on your offer for the therapy,” he said, feeling colour creep into his cheeks as he said it. He hated having to rely on other people for things he felt he should be able to provide for Aimee, but there was just physically no way he could do it. “I know today’s nightmare may have been triggered by the thirty seconds of the movie she accidently saw last night, but that’s just it. It was a trigger. That means the anxiety is there and it needs to be dealt with, because Aimee deserves her childhood. And I really hope it’s not asking too much of you, it’s just that I would never be able to afford it and you offered and –”

“Hey,” said Blaine placing a reassuring hand on Kurt’s shoulder, “like you said, I offered. Now, we can set up a meeting to discuss it, or you can let me take you out for drinks tomorrow night if you’re free?”

“Okay,” said Kurt with a grin, his mouth answering before his brain had time to catch up. This was definitely heading into date territory and as much as Kurt was all for that, he couldn’t help but feel a little nervous about it. He couldn’t back down now though – that would be rude.

However, he suddenly remembered something that seemed to puncture a hole in his happiness.

“No, wait, sorry, I just remembered I already have something on tomorrow night,” his voice dripping with regret. He’d much rather be anywhere with Blaine than with one of Jo’s mystery men.

“Crap! Yeah, me too actually now that I come to think of it,” said Blaine, clapping a hand to his forehead and laughing at the coincidence. “Well, I think it’s going to have to be a scheduled meeting thing on Monday then. Don’t worry; I’ll stop by the Lima Bean beforehand. It won’t seem so formal.”

“Sounds like a plan,” said Kurt with an approving nod. He looked to where Aimee was clutching her Dora doll dozing off, and he smiled to himself. “Anyway, I should be getting Little Miss Madam home so she can get some rest. See you soon, Blaine.”

“See you soon, Kurt,” said Blaine hugging him tightly. He hugged Aimee as well. She was now so exhausted that she didn’t know where she was and called him “Uncle Puck”.

As Kurt buckled Aimee into her seat, he couldn’t help but feel slight exasperation at the thought of tomorrow night. If the date was horrible, it would be even worse now knowing that it was keeping him from a date with Blaine.

The next night, Kurt glanced over his appearance one last time in the glass of his car window. His clothes were classy and tasteful, but showed off his body exactly how he wanted to. And his hair - if he did say so himself - was the sex. Even though he had serious misgivings about this date, there was every chance that Jo was right and that this could turn out to be something good, in which case he wanted to look his best.

‘Which table did you say he was at again?' Kurt texted Jo, wanting to have all the details before he barged in there.

‘Table thirteen,’ Jo texted back. ‘He’s there already - don’t keep him waiting.’

Of course he was at table thirteen – that was just typical Jo and her mean sense of humour.

Figuring he had nothing to lose, Kurt took a deep breath and entered the restaurant. He honestly didn’t know where table thirteen was, or where to start looking for it. He had just started scanning for guys sitting on their own, when he spotted Blaine and his heart did a somersault. His plans were at Breadstix too?

Without even thinking about it, he made his way over to where he was sitting, trying desperately to think of something clever to say but forgetting everything. When Blaine spotted him, his face broke into a huge grin.

“Kurt, hey!” he said, standing up to hug him. “Fancy meeting you here.”

“It’s good to see you, Blaine,” said Kurt with a smile. He wasn’t sure what else to say after that, so settled for staring at the gorgeous smile opposite him.

“So what brings you to Breadstix?” asked Blaine, curiously. “Someone special?”

The way he asked it made Kurt’s heart sink. Was Blaine meeting someone special?

“I don’t know yet,” said Kurt with a small frown. “It’s kind of a blind date.”

“Get out! Me too,” replied Blaine with a grin on his face.

“No way,” said Kurt, automatically looking down at the table to glimpse the table number. His knees almost gave way.

It was table thirteen.

“Blaine, I think you’re my blind date,” he said staring at him with wide eyes.

“Really? You’re the cute single dad Jo was talking about?” asked Blaine excitedly, his whole attitude changing immediately. He pulled out a seat for Kurt in a very gentlemanly manner and motioned for him to sit down. “This is so awesome. I had no idea that you knew Jo. And I never would have guessed it was you anyway because she definitely said you were a single dad. Am I talking a lot? I’m just really excited. I mean, no offense, but Jo has a habit of setting me up with serious flops, but god, this is great.”

Kurt laughed, though he could barely hear it over the way his heart was pounding. It was one thing to contemplate going on a date with a guy and another thing when you found yourself in the middle of one and as a result, he was off his game. He clumsily stammered through his order to the point where he wondered how the poor waitress had heard or understood him enough to come back with the right food.

Once he grew comfortable around Blaine, however, he found that he was really enjoying himself. Blaine and he had more in common than he had thought they would. He also turned out to be even more perfect than Kurt could explain.

“You look great tonight, by the way. Did I say that already?” said Blaine with a smile and Kurt blushed.

“Maybe, but I’m not about to complain,” he said with a chuckle. “You do too, just so we’re clear on that.”

“Good to know,” said Blaine with a smile. “I’m glad you’re here tonight. I was so depressed the whole day today. Perhaps it makes me a terrible person, but I just couldn’t bear the thought of being on an awful date when I know that if I wasn’t on it, I could be on one with you. If that makes any sense?”

“So much,” Kurt replied with a smile, feeling his heart do a somersault at Blaine’s admission. Warmth spread through his body and for the first time in ages, he felt completely contented.

They held hands while they waited for dessert, which caught Kurt by surprise. He had been resting his hand on the table and Blaine had just reached out and held. There wasn’t a shred of irony on his face and Kurt allowed himself for a moment to forget everything else. He was a guy who liked a guy who liked him back. Nothing else seemed to matter.

Blaine insisted on paying at the end of the date, despite Kurt’s protests that he should at least pay half and after leaving a generous tip (which Kurt was pleased to see Blaine did discreetly, not showing off), the left the restaurant.

“We should do this again sometime,” said Blaine, lacing his fingers through Kurt’s as they made their way to their cars. Kurt shuddered pleasantly at the sheer intimacy of the gesture.

“Definitely,” agreed Kurt as they stopped outside his car and Blaine opened the door for him. “There is that meeting we have planned for Monday.”

“Very true,” said Blaine with a smile. Then before Kurt could do anything, Blaine stood on his toes and kissed him on the cheek. It lasted less than a second, but Kurt felt like a million new futures had opened up to him.

“Goodnight, Kurt,” he said with a small smile before heading off to find his own car.

“You too,” said Kurt, wondering what on earth had just happened to him and thanking Jo and the universe that it did.